Gallivanting Grandma

Sunday – December 2, 2018

Last night our ship left Noumea and cruised 120 miles across the Coral Sea to Lifou Island.  This is the most populous of the Loyalty Islands of New Caledonia.  Lifou is bigger than the island of Tahiti and it is the largest coral atoll in the South Pacific.

The Amsterdam slowly passed by the coral reef that surrounds Lifou and we anchored in the beautiful Baie de Santal.

We took one of the tenders into shore:

Most of the people on Lifou are Kanak because the French government declared the Loyalties an indigenous reserve in 1899.  As a result the residents were spared the worst features of colonialism.  The Kanaks are one of the original Polynesian settlers of the region.

Primitive straw huts were set up to provide shade for a few local people who offered hair braiding, massages, or coconut drinks for sale.  There was a more substantial long hut at the top of a small hill where vendors had set up handicrafts and souvenirs.

We were told that the lifestyle of the local people is unhurried and many people grow their own yams, taro, and sweet potatoes in their gardens.

We had been warned that no one spoke English, just French and Kanak. However, like vendors everywhere, the people had enough words to conduct business.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t visit the entire island.  We were limited to this gorgeous bay and its beautiful beach. The water was crystal clear, warm and very inviting.

Unfortunately, Jeff and I didn’t bring our bathing suits so we could just dip our toes in the water.  It was a beautiful unspoiled beach with pristine water.  It was my idea of a perfect tropical paradise.

We stayed at the beach as long as we possibly could and finally reluctantly took the tender back to the ship.  The Amsterdam slowly moved out of the bay, past the reef, and into the Coral Sea.  It had been a wonderful day!  We watched the sun set over the Pacific….

Saturday – December 1, 2018

We just had two days “At Sea” cruising the South Pacific Ocean on the Holland America Cruise Ship: M.S. Amsterdam.  They kept us busy with lectures, activities, and entertainment in the Main Stage Theater. We also had plenty of time to relax and enjoy a pampered lifestyle.

Today we arrived in Noumea which is the capital and largest city of the French islands of Nouvelle Caledonie.  Noumea is situated on a peninsula in the southern part of New Caledonia’s main island, Grande Terre.  The city lies on a protected deep-water harbor and is one of the most industrialized cities in the South Pacific due to the island’s nickel and gold mines.

Although French is the main language on the island, New Caledonia is a unique mix of French and Melanesian cultures.  During World War II, Noumea served as the headquarters of the U. S. military in the South Pacific.  We found an active market just off the harbor.

Fresh fish and produce were set up in permanent structures.  Tents were set up in the back for clothes, beach equipment, souvenirs, tee-shirts, etc.

Two men played island music behind one of the produce stands:

This tropical tree blooms in December all over the South Pacific islands.  Someone said they call it their Christmas tree.

There was a downtown with a quiet main street which led into the center of Noumea.

The weather was hot (in the high 80s) and very humid.  It didn’t feel like Christmas!  We strolled back to the ship and cooled off in our air conditioned cabin.

A cooling breeze blew across the harbor.  Later, we watched the sun set over the Pacific while the Amsterdam sailed away from Noumea, Nouvelle Caledonie.